Catalan climber Geila Macià has secured third place in the qualifiers for the European Boulder Championship, held this Saturday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Alongside Lucía Sempere, who finished eleventh, and two men, Spain has four semifinalists.
The Catalan climber Geila Macià has become Spain's great hope after achieving a brilliant third place in the women's qualifiers of the European Boulder Championship, taking place from this Saturday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The competition, part of the Graviteo Urban Sports Festival, has gathered 67 women and 84 men, leaving four Spaniards with medal chances this Sunday.
Geila Macià, one step away from the European podium
The athlete from Sant Cugat del Vallès completed all five problems in the qualifiers with a score of 78.5, tying with French climber Lily Abriat. Only Slovenian Jennifer Buckley and British Emma Edwards, both with 84 points, surpassed the Catalan, who is considered one of the favourites for the semifinals. “I am very happy with my performance; the problems were technical and I managed to read them well,” Macià stated after the day.
The Catalan Lucía Sempere, who finished eleventh with 69 points, has also made it to the elimination round. The third Spanish climber, Aida Torres, finished in 33rd place and did not make the cut. In the men's qualifiers, Hugo Martín Álvarez (13th) and Guillermo Peinado Franganillo (17th) completed the Spanish delegation in the semifinals, while Manuel Antonio Pastor finished 46th.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the epicentre of European climbing
The Montmeló Circuit has hosted a continental boulder championship for the first time, a discipline that is gaining followers in the province of Barcelona. The venue, known for hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix, has been transformed into an outdoor climbing wall with a capacity for 2,000 spectators. “It is an honour to bring the Europeans here; the public's response has been incredible,” said a spokesperson for the Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya (FEEC).
The competition this Sunday will start at 10:00 with the men's and women's semifinals, followed by the finals at 15:45 and 17:30. The award ceremony is scheduled for 19:00. Fans can follow the event live on the World Climbing Europe YouTube channel.
“Geila Macià is in exceptional form; if she maintains her concentration, she can fight for gold,” assessed a coach from the Spanish team.
For the residents of Sant Cugat and the Vallès Occidental, Macià's presence is a source of pride. The climber, trained at the Club Muntanyenc Sant Cugat, has been climbing the world rankings to position herself among the best in Europe. Her performance at home, just 20 kilometres from her hometown, adds an extra incentive.
The Saturday's events also left a good taste in the men's category, where French climber Mejdi Schalck and Belgian Hannes Van Duysen led the rankings. However, the local focus is on Macià, who aspires to become the first Spanish woman to reach the podium at a Boulder European Championship since the discipline was included in the continental programme.
The Graviteo Urban Sports Festival has complemented the competition with skate, parkour, and live music activities, attracting a young and diverse audience. “It is an opportunity to bring climbing to new audiences,” highlighted the organisation. Tickets for the finals are still available on the event's website.
You may also like
